Captioning and Subtitling Services

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As we usher in a new year, CompuScripts Captioning would like to update our closed captioning clients on changes in regulations regarding Internet video. Internet video programming distributors should already be acquainted with The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, or CVAA. First implemented in 2012, the CVAA mandates the captions of most Internet video programming. Compliance with the CVAA is monitored by the Federal Communications Commission.

Since March 2012, prerecorded, unedited video programs has required captions when shown for the first time on the Internet. Live programming, near-live programming, and prerecorded, edited programming has required Internet captions since 2013.

In 2014, video programming distributors had 45 days to caption for the Internet previously televised captioned programming. Beginning March 30, 2015, that deadline shrinks to 30 days; for example, a captioned program that is televised on March 30, 2015, must appear with closed captions when shown on the Internet by April 29, 2015. Beginning in 2016, a captioned televised program must appear with captions when shown on the Internet within 15 days to remain compliant.

New Year Mandates

CompuScripts Captioning has been working with our clients to ensure compliance with the CVAA since
its implementation in 2012. Previous blogs have addressed Internet captioning regulations andFCC deadline changes, and future blogs will address changes in the required quality of captions. In addition to Internet video, CompuScripts Captioning offers closed captioning and subtitling services for broadcast and DVD media. Our services are customized for your particular workflow and deliverables, as well as your budget. For assistance on how all of your video programming might meet FCC compliance deadlines, or to request a quote, contact our Caption Coordinator, Stacey Wilson, at swilson@compuscripts.com or 1.888.849.9698.

On February 20, 2014, the Federal Communications Commission set new rules addressing the quality of closed captions on broadcast television. These rules cite standards of accuracy, synchronicity, and placement, and they aim to ensure that the experience of deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers is in approximation with that of hearing viewers. So today, CompuScripts Captioning would like to introduce you to postproduction pop-on captioning, the choice that offers your viewers the highest-quality closed captions available.

What sets apart postproduction pop-on captioning from quick-turnaround roll-up or realtime captioning is the amount of time that is spent on your video. For postproduction pop-on captioning, your video will be viewed by a CompuScripts captioner multiple times for transcription, captioning and editing, and quality control. During this process, postproduction pop-on captions are labeled with speaker identification and may be placed at any position onscreen so that your viewer always understands who’s speaking. Postproduction pop-on captions are time-coded with speaker synchronization to within 15 frames. And if you choose the U.S. Department of Education standards, the captions are further edited, according to the targeted viewers’ age range and the nature of the content, to accommodate retention and comprehension of the information being relayed in the video in compliance with the Described and Captioned Media Program.

Is your production heavy with specific vocabulary or terms of art? When choosing postproduction pop-on captions, we have the time to make sure that if a speaker references “the Cote d’Ivoire Baule blolo bla,” the phrase is properly spelled. While researching content, we’ve chatted with everyone from a renowned linguist in Australia to a famous country musician in Tennessee!

Speaking of music, if your video features instrumental songs, postproduction pop-on captions note the titles. If the song features vocals, postproduction pop-on captions display the lyrics. Postproduction pop-on captions also allow for important sound descriptions: Artillery “booms.” Schoolchildren “giggle.” Everyone knows that birds sing, but if a red-billed streamertail is calling onscreen, the postproduction pop-on caption will read, ting-ting-ting, tee-tee-tee.

Video programmers should know that no matter what captioning style they choose, CompuScripts Captioning will deliver a quality product. But for the best captioning available, contact us to learn more about postproduction pop-on captions.

CompuScripts Captioning believes in offering clients the quickest turnaround for every budget. Before we can give you an accurate quote, we’d like you to do some homework. Having the following information at hand will allow us to start your captioning project right away!

What to Know When Requesting a Quote for Your Postproduction Broadcast Project

In what format do you need your captioned master video? This is best answered by the broadcast station airing your program. Does the broadcaster want a videotape or digital format? (Most broadcasters have made the transitioned to digital formats.) If a digital format is expected for delivery, what are the specifications? These are highly nuanced. Your station may want high definition or standard definition video. They will require a specific finished file wrapper and particular audio and video codecs. If your sales contact at the station cannot answer these questions, ask to speak to the station engineer. This information is essential in building a quote that will accurately reflect the ultimate invoice for your captioned project.

What are you giving CompuScripts to work with? First, it is important that the audio of your master video meets FCC requirements. Second, your master video has to be ready to be ingested into the station’s broadcast server complete and finished, except for the captions, when we receive it. If it is not, we must know the specifications of your station’s broadcast server in order to create a new master. Again, speak with your station’s engineer, as stations may use different broadcast servers for different types of programming. Delivering your program to us in a format that meets the station’s specifications will get you the quickest turnaround and save you money by eliminating the need to reformat your video.

Fast, Cheap, Good – Pick Two

When does the station need delivery of your production? This is not the same as your program’s air date. Stations may need your program a week or more in advance, especially if they require a digital format. For the quickest turnaround and the most budget-friendly quote, plan to deliver your program to us with sufficient time to meet your station’s deadline.

Know your captioning options. Before contacting us for a quote, view our services menu at ccaptioning.com. CompuScripts offers postproduction, broadcast realtime, and Internet captions, and there are options within each category for every budget. CompuScripts will help you choose the right option for your intended audience and get you the quickest turnaround possible.

Having this information at hand when you call will allow us to build an accurate quote that suits your quality expectations and budget requirements.